Skip to content
I can picture it now. Your head is in your hands, you’re at the end of your wits, frustrated beyond all comprehension, all because your SEO agency is throwing you for a loop. Again. They never forget your credit card number, but it seems like they forget everything else about you, your business, your goals, and especially your SEO campaign. Sound familiar? As much as I hope you muttered “no” to the screen, the sad truth is that many business owners face this situation constantly, including many of our clients. In fact, many of our clients have used four or five SEO agencies before working with us! (Hopefully we’ll be their last.)
Now, I’m not saying that every SEO agency is bad except for NoRiskSEO. That would be an assumption that no legitimate SEO would make. (Hint: If they do, that’s a red flag in of itself!)
The fact is, there are lots of incredibly talented marketers, SEOs and agencies on this blue orb we live on; but unfortunately, for every quality SEO company out there, there’s just about 50 that are waiting to take your money and run. With that being said, here’s 7 red flags to look out for when you choose your next SEO agency.
1. Unreasonable Guarantees
Have you ever heard the saying “If it seems to good to be true, it probably is”? I hope so, because you’ll need to keep it in mind when choosing your next SEO partner. Any SEO that flat out promises a #1 spot on Google, heck, promises a page one spot on Google, is, in the best case scenario, being a bit dishonest. It’s not that SEOs can’t consistently bring quality traffic and revenue to any website, it’s the simple fact that we don’t control the search algorithms, and therefore, we can only guarantee you’ll get our best.
2. Negative Reviews
According to the 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer, 65% of Internet users see online search as the most trusted source of information about people and companies, and you should consider that powerful statistic before choosing any SEO agency. Pro tip, don’t rely solely on client testimonials posted on the firm’s website, but seek out third party reviews on non-biased platforms. Chances are you’ll find little to no negative or constructive feedback on their website.
A simple google search for the company’s name with “reviews” appended to the end should do the trick. At the same time, not all negative feedback is created equal. Ensure you fully understand each situation to the best of your ability and use this existing client feedback as a platform to help you understand the reputability of the SEO firm in question.
3. Lack of Transparency
This is a big one. If an SEO can’t be upfront with you about their link building techniques, their sources for content writing, and their overall strategy, how can you trust them with your online presence? Black-hat SEO methods can land you in big trouble with the big G, and recovering from those penalties can be a massive uphill battle. If an SEO firm isn’t transparent about their methods, chances are there’s not a good reason for that lack of transparency.
4. Poor / Incomplete / Non-existent Reporting
Piggybacking off of point number three, reporting is a big deal. If you can’t keep track of what your SEO firm is doing for you, how can you trust their doing anything at all? Do they send out Analytics reports? Do they set up goal tracking? Do they have any type of project management system? These are all important questions to ask an SEO agency before signing on the dotted line.
As an example, at NoRiskSEO, we provide a plethora of reporting options. We use Google Analytics and goal tracking to keep you up to date on every statistic important to you and your business. We additionally provide every client (and any of their team members or employees they want to collaborate with) access to our world class project management tool, Basecamp. For lead generation based campaigns, we also set up robust call tracking tools to keep you informed of every call in lead we generate, as well as the source of each call, whether PPC, Organic, Social, etc.
5. Far Below Market Average Pricing
Everyone loves a good deal, but don’t make the mistake of deciding on an SEO firm strictly based on price. Everyone knows you get what you pay for, in every scenario, including SEO. When it really comes down to it, good SEO isn’t cheap. Quality SEO services require time, dedication, research, a quality, native-speaking content writer, a constantly evolving strategy, the list goes on. So if your potential SEO partner is quick to lowball their prices in an attempt to get you to sign on, it’s probably not a good sign. If they don’t value their services, why should you?
6. No Portfolio or Case Studies
Unless your SEO-to-be is a student, or a friend or family member looking to gain experience and build a portfolio, then there’s really no excuse to not have a portfolio or case studies of some sort, to showcase their skill set and their accomplishments. Look for complimentary or similar companies to yours that have had success. Don’t hesitate to reach out directly to those individuals as well and ask them how they’ve enjoyed working with the firm in question. You might be surprised at what you learn! (Hopefully a good surprise…)
Oh, and in case you were interested, here’s a few SEO case studies of ours, and a few more PPC case studies.
7. Lack of Accreditation or Certifications
If the SEO company you are considering hiring is so good at what they do, why doesn’t anyone know it? Do they have any awards? Accreditations? Certifications? Chances are, if it’s not prominently displayed on their website, they don’t have any. Look for Google Adwords and Analytics certifications, Bing certifications, etc.
NoRiskSEO was recently nominated two years in a row for a US Search Award. We are also one of a very few number of Google Partners All Stars, a position of credibility we’ve worked tirelessly to achieve.
The Bottom Line
What all of this really comes down to is the fact that if you don’t take the time to do your research and make in informed decision regarding you choice of SEO agency, it will more than likely come back to haunt you. Don’t make that mistake. Fully investigate each and every aspect of any firm you are considering. Ask lots and lots of questions, and make sure to get the answers you’re looking for.
As NoRiskSEO, we take seriously our responsibility as an SEO provider to give you all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not to partner with us to help grow your business online. If we don’t think we’re a good fit, we’ll tell you.
If you’d like to talk with us further about potentially joining the ranks of other successful NoRisk clients, we’d love to chat with you. Give us a call today.